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Tramps want monument to Julie Larese
BRISTOL — Though powerbroker Julie Larese died 11 years ago, his memory lives.
Organizers of the Bristol Tramps Sports Reunion, established 39 years ago by Larese and others, are pushing to mark its 40th anniversary with a new memorial at Rockwell Park to honor Larese.
Donna Papazian, who serves on the Tramps oversight committee, said the group hopes to erect “a sizeable stone with a bronze plaque” at the West End park that Larese loved.
Park commissioners said they’ll consider it, but they can’t take any action until next Monday, too late to have the memorial in place before the 40th anniversary Tramps Reunion dinner in April.
Pat Nelligan, a park commissioner, said the city’s rules require they delay at least a year before doing anything to honor someone living or dead.
There is already a Larese Way at the historic park, a somewhat deceptive sign that names the parking lot as a sort of street. It’s been there for a decade.
But Papazian said that Larese, an old-school philanthropist who pulled many strings in Bristol during his 80 years, deserves something better. She said the plaque could have his name, birth and death dates and information about Larese.
Larese owned a popular gas station in his day, but was best known for his informal meetings with a wide range of friends, many of whom he’d know since growing up in the West End. He was pals with mayors and mechanics, famously ready to a favor for any of them and perhaps ask for one for someone else on occasion.
Papazian said the Tramps hoped to put up the marker in time for Larese’s July 16 birthday, but park rules forbade it.
The Tramps began in 1970 when Larese and some friends started talking at Netti’s Grinder Shop on Middle Street and at Larese’s barn on East Main Street in Forestville. It’s become an annual tradition to recognize athletes and teams that played key roles in city sports history.
Reporter Steve Collins can be reached at (860) 594-0501 x. 254 or scollins@bristolpress.com.
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Dr. Albert E. Jabs wrote on Jun 2, 2009 11:31 AM:
The special story of Bristol's Julie Larest is really a great story of ethnic diversity, conflict resolution, assimilation, and finally reconciliation.
The story of Julie is a story of populist, like Frank Longo, and others who make up Bristol's colorful ethnic history. Privileged and blessed to have grown up in the ethnic enclaves of Bristol, and crossing over the legendary Pequabuck river every day, on my way to the Immanuel Lutheran School, my three brothers and I, knew well the West End Corner, school street, St. Anthony's campus confines, and the pillar of freedom which came forth in the press papers of the Bristol Press.
All of this is a living legacy, a rich, rewarding legacy and a genuine historical story where Italian American, Polish Americans, French Americans, and Irish Americans brokered a true American story.
In reflecting on the Julie Larese story, nostalgia drives me back to that storied championship team of l952, the last team coached by the two great Irish American coaches, the Tom Monahans, both senior and junior. On that storied team, which included names like Gaski, Cercone, Bush, Hemond, Peters, and where I was privileged to serve as Captain, the Bristol High Team of that year, was termed by Andy Palau, the greatest BHS athlete ever, the second best team in Connecticut, and this team had a varied ethnic amalgamation that caught the attention of sportswriters throughout the State...and while we came within a whisker of winning the State Championship, it was Julie Larese, and a host of other loyal Bristol fans, numbered in the thousands who drive down to the New Haven Arena, to cheer us on. I will never forget it, and there are readers reading these lines who will never forget those halcyone days.
But the ethnic diversity which characterizes the Julie Larese story, was also bulwark of strength during the WW II period and after. During the war numbers of Italian Amricans and German Americans, loyal all of them, in the United States were carted off to prison, like my friend Eberhard Fuhr. In Bristol, we had the strength of the Bristol Press, and Judges like Beach, DeRosier, and Tracy, who fought to keep these loyal Americans free. This ought to be remembered.
Finally, the new leaders of the Bristol Press, Schroeder and Smith, are to be congratulated for picking up the pieces of the floundering Press, and giving it new life. This is a precious freedom story, and along with veteran Bill Sarno, the Bristol Press and its storied, rich ethnic past, remembering folks like Julie Larese, can be a living, historicaly story, good to recall, to reflect, and to spring forth in new creative endeavors.l
Dr. Albert E. Jabs
Lexington, SC "
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A-Great-Man wrote on Jun 2, 2009 8:15 AM:
Many years ago I was a young, starving, nobody, trying to eek out a lowley existance in Bristol Connecticut. Computers were just starting to come around and I was an office setup boy.
One day I was trying to setup one of those "new-fangled" computers in the head office of a very powerful businessman.
I was (literally) on my hands and knees groveling under the secretarys' desk untangling wires, when I saw a pair of HUGE brown leather shoes in front of my nose.
A few seconds later I saw the big face of Julie Larese, bending down to see what I was doing.
He asked; "What'cha doin' under there young fella?"
I told him; "Computers Mr. Larese" and stood up. He shook my hand, introduced himself (I already knew who he was) and asked my name.
He asked about me, where I came from, how long I've been working, if I played sports, and generally took an interest in me? God only knows why.
He went in for a 30 minute meeting with the business president. When he came out he took time to talk to me again, whished me a good day and left.
Since then, great things started to happen in my life. Some by chance and some DEFINATELY by a chance meeting with a great, great man.
Personally? I don't think that Mr. Larese would want a statue of himself. His generosity and kind acts were alway worked behind the scenes, with no expectation of repayment or praise. I, however, would LOVE to see a statue, in everlasting tribute this great man. "